Incident On and Off a Mountain Road

Infobox Television episode
Title = "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road"
Series = Masters of Horror


Caption = DVD cover for "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road"
Season = 1
Episode = 1
Airdate = October 28, 2005
Production = 101
Writer = Don Coscarelli Joe R. Lansdale Stephen Romano
Director = Don Coscarelli
Guests = John DeSantis Ethan Embry Heather Feeney Angus Scrimm Bree Turner
Episode list =
Prev = None
Next = H. P. Lovecraft's Dreams in the Witch-House

"Incident On and Off a Mountain Road" is the first episode of the first season of "Masters of Horror". It originally aired in North America on October 28, 2005. The screenplay is based on an original short story by American author Joe R. Lansdale.

Plot

While driving on a secluded mountain road Ellen (Bree Turner) loses control and collides with an abandoned vehicle on the side of the road. When checking to see if the other driver is all right she finds a trail of blood leading into the forest. Following it, she encounters a psychotic serial killer known as Moonface (John DeSantis), dragging the driver of the other vehicle. Narrowly escaping him, Ellen flees into the forest, with Moonface following her trail.

Through flashbacks spread throughout she is shown receiving training from her survivalist husband Bruce (Ethan Embry), training her with both weapons and guerrilla tactics. She attempts to use these skills several times, but despite her best efforts is still captured by the killer, taken to his workshop deep in the forest on a ridge overlooking a large waterfall.

After awakening in the basement, filled with the corpses of Moonface's previous victims, she encounters the delusional man Buddy (Angus Scrimm), apparently insane but seemingly unharmed by Moonface. He speaks cryptically of the killer's methods and intent. Shortly thereafter the killer comes downstairs, turning on a generator. Police sirens begin sounding as various lights around the room begin flashing. Lifting the other woman onto a large table, he uses a drill press to remove both of her eyes.

After Moonface leaves, Ellen manages to pick her handcuffs and escape, attacking Moonface and Buddy with a piece of wood. She runs upstairs where she is again attacked, knocking Moonface through a window. Looking out, she sees him dangling by a blanket several meters below, hanging above the waterfall. She watches as the fabric rips, turning away as he finally falls. Finding a gun, belt and boots she leaves.

Returning to her car, she opens her trunk to reveal the body of her dead husband. In another flashback it is revealed that her husband had raped her during a brutal fight, shortly after which she strangled him with his own belt. Taking his body to Moonface's workshop, she removes his eyes and strings him up in the front yard in the same manner as Moonface's other victims. Before leaving she shoots Buddy, mimicking Moonface's "shh" gesture before killing him.

DVD and Blu-ray

The DVD was released by Anchor Bay Entertainment on May 9, 2006. The episode was the first episode broadcast, but the third to be released on DVD. It includes a commentary with writer / director Don Coscarelli and writer Stephen Romano, as well as a number of featurettes. It also includes the first in a series of short documentaries on the director of the featured episode. The episode appears on the third volume of the Blu-ray compilation of the series.

External links

*imdb title|id=0643107|title=Incident On and Off a Mountain Road
*imdb title|id=0808546|title=Working with a Master: Don Coscarelli
*Review for [http://www.dreadcentral.com/index.php?name=Reviews&req=showcontent&id=580 "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road"] at [http://www.DreadCentral.com Dread Central]